Manama: As part of the official visit of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, to Japan, the Kingdom of Bahrain and Japan signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to exchange expertise in e-government and digital transformation. The MoU was signed on the Bahraini side by Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and on the Japanese side by Masaaki Taira, Minister for Digital Transformation at Japan's Digital Agency, in the presence of HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister.
According to Bahrain News Agency, Mohammed Ali Al Qaed, Chief Executive of the Information and eGovernment Authority (iGA), underlined the depth of Bahrain-Japan relations and their rapid growth across various domains, particularly in digital cooperation, the digital economy, and infrastructure development. He noted that the MoU will enable Bahrain to benefit from Japan's advanced expertise and technological progress, contributing to the development of national digital capabilities, enhancing the efficiency of government e-services, and supporting the Kingdom's drive towards comprehensive digital transformation.
Al Qaed stated that the MoU represents a pivotal step in strengthening the strategic partnership between Bahrain and Japan, providing strong support for national efforts to accelerate digital transformation and raise the quality of government services. He added that it will also contribute to achieving sustainable development goals and boosting Bahrain's economic competitiveness in line with the Kingdom's vision for an advanced digital future.
The MoU underscores the two countries' shared commitment to developing cooperation in digital innovation, exchanging advanced technologies, and expanding collaboration to serve mutual interests and support digital transformation in both nations. It includes provisions for the exchange of knowledge on policies, laws, and regulations, and for developing new frameworks of cooperation to foster innovation and enhance the quality of e-government services, while ensuring the highest standards of data protection and information classification. The MoU is valid for three years from the date of signing and is renewable in accordance with agreed procedures.